Pet problems
 

Phone call from wife at 11.15 am. 'I don't know what to do, something really terrible's happened!' Imagine wife standing next to charred remains of house.'What????' 'One of the kittens has managed to get on top of the tall kitchen unit for the first time...' (this is terrible news???) '....and fall down the space at the back - she's stuck behind the oven - I've tried to reach her but I can't get my arm down there it's too narrow. You'll have to come home!!' (This IS terrible news!) Somewhat relieved that the vision of charred property is vanishing rapidly, I unawarely say 'yes, OK'. Then realise I've cycled to work that morning (45 minutes). Don't fancy the prospect of cycling back as temperature has now climbed up to high 80's. Secretary offers to loan me her car (thankfully - and earns big brownie points), so off I go. Twenty minutes later, I'm climbing a step-ladder to assess gap at back of unit - Jesus, it's all of two inches wide. A pair of yellow eyes greet me, and a miaowing that is certainly saying 'for f***s sake get me out of here!' Go down ladder, and inspect front of oven - no sign of any screws. Gently prise at trim with end of screwdriver accompanied by brief argument with wife who figures I'm about to ruin it for life. Maintain confident smile while still prising, and trim comes away suddenly, so suddenly that confidence almost wanes (could hear wife about to say 'told you so') but then I see there are four screws. Screws removed. Securing additional trim removed. Can see cooker is raised and resting on two bits of wood (that's pofessional installation for you!) - two yellow eyes now looking under cooker, but they don't look any the happier. Pull at cooker - doesn't move. Notice years of grime around feet (cooker's feet, not mine). Pull again, only much harder and it comes forward all of a sudden, and, guess what, it's really heavy. Manage to grab on to it and just about take the weight. Helpful comment from wife: 'be careful there's wiring attached at the back!' Understanding reply from me, of course (given I'm balancing half a ton of cooker against my chest) and wife goes off in huff - but comes back when realises kitten is now accessible. Kitten is freed!! Cooker is heavy, correction, heavier! And I've now got to get it back up on to those two bits of wood. First try, zero result. Second try, ditto. Notice arms are beginning to feel weak. Wife notices grimace on face (or was it a look of despair) and also adds an arm to the job in hand. One last effort and.... no?? ....well..., actually..., YES! Cooker heaved back in place. Job done I feel: 'Can I leave the rest to you, dear as I need to get back...' 'Can't you spare a minute???' Decide I had better and so set to replacing trim and finding bit of wood to cover gap at back of top of unit. All done (even wife agrees). Check watch. Only taken twenty minutes, feels like an hour, Back to work then. Interesting things, pets....

Leave it to the wife to keep the kitten from being killed.

The mechanics of this story are completely lost on me, as my oven is on wheels and slides out quite easily. But I get the drama part of it, and I'm glad your kitten is safe.

Time to add other esential info:

1. We already have (for eight years) a self-minded burman cat called Calvin (so named after Calvin and Hobbs cartoon by son following Florida expedition some years back) and being one of two offspring (we kept Calvin, while Hobbs went to a friend) produced by mother Vialli (passed away last year) - mother cat's name also provided by son in response to his mother's request for a 'nice name' (my son is a Chelsea supporter and Vialli happend to be the captain at the time - my wife/his mother had no idea...). Calvin's nose is rather out of joint as a result of arrival of the two new kittens (Milly and Molly).

2. We also have a dog, Oscar (photo somewhere on this site) who is really laid back about kittens' arrival - but does occasionally emit the odd sigh of discontent as they leap over his body for the umpteenth time in 'continuous chase' mode. Calvin and Oscar can be seen conferring on present situation and regularly station themselves away from kittenic chaos.

3. The kittens would never be here but for same son mentioned above who decided whilst living in London flat (now back home - another story) that he wanted a kitten. Mother/wife intervened (why?) and convinced him that he needed two kittens not one (one would be so lonely... logical?) and promptly found him two. Then became involved in securing toys, food, sleeping Baskets, etc, etc. Culminated in son arriving one Saturday morning from London, wife leaving with him in car at 11.00 am with kittens and accoutrements, returning at 3.30 pm, receiving phone call from son at 4.30 pm claiming to be too allergic to kittens (constanly sneezing plus red blotches everywhere) that could not keep them, we both leaving for his flat at 6.00 pm and getting back home at 9.30 pm with said kittens (exactly the Saturday I had planned to have, naturally).

Luckily son has certain talents (may reveal some later) and attributes that ensure his ongoing safety and forgiveness for such incidents, but we now have kittens we never intended and that seem to be of the type that some might insist emanate from the gates of Hades (apart from the time they curl up on your lap and roll over as though butter would not melt in their collective mouths). Understand the breed concerned usually live to a ripe old age as well....

Pictures may follow for all of you who like to go: 'awwww, ain't they cute!' provided that you reveal yourselves to exist first.

Show us the kitties, please. :)

Piccies on home pc - will endeavour to oblige in another 5 hours...

Looks like a picture of the oven is also required....

Reminds me that I've got to dump the kitty litter today. I'm in a mind to kill a kitty...

Siamese kitties are they?

See, this is why I am a dog person :) Kitties are a ton of fun, but they grow up into cats, blech. My dogs never got stuck anywhere they couldn't get out of on their own.

Something called a Bristish Smoke - Looks predominantly black (or rather very very dark grey charcoal), with an underlying faint tabby marking in silvery grey. Very similar to a British Blue and British Black.

Image off the net (i.e. not our cat):

and a full tank of petrol I should imagine...
;)

Only if she lets me go all the way in it... ;) ;)

Aaaaawwwww..! time

The incumbents: